Updated March 7, 2025 at 10:17 a.m.
Republican Representative Tom Barrett is facing some criticism for scheduling his first-ever town hall over the phone instead of in person.
Local Democrats say the decision is part of a broader Republican strategy to avoid tough questions from frustrated constituents.
Judy Daubenmier, chair of the Livingston County Democratic Party, says she has seen similar moves across the country, as lawmakers turn to virtual town halls rather than engage with voters face-to-face.
She says a phone-in town hall allows Barrett to avoid accountability.
“He's not gonna hear about how people are being impacted by the coming cuts to Medicaid and SNAP which we know are coming,” Daubenmier said.
“ Tom Barrett needs to look people in the eye and say, 'Yeah, I agree, we ought to cut your social security.' But he doesn't have to do that when he's on the phone. He can't see anybody.”
Daubenmier adds that some constituents feel Barrett has been difficult to reach.
“ They think that he's invisible,” said Daubenmier. “And they never see him.”
Rep. Barrett’s Deputy Chief of Staff Michael Gordon responded to claims that the town hall was made virtual due to a national Republican strategy saying, “I read that in Politico [but] I haven't been a part of any meeting that they told us not to do town halls. We've been planning this, I think, for over two weeks.”
Gordon says the move to virtual was to make the meeting more accessible.
“It gets the congressman in front of more people,” Gordon said. “This town hall can hold up to tens of thousands of people versus where if we go to a city hall we could fit 100 people. This allows for more people and then also it allows the congressman to speak to you from where you're at.”
The phone-in town hall is scheduled for Monday, March 10 at 7:10 p.m. Questions will be answered on a first-come first-serve basis. Registration for the event is available at Barrett's website.